Australia: Call to Send asylum seekers to the back of the queue

Family First Senator Steve Fielding says the Federal Government should consider sending asylum seekers who arrive by boat to refugee camps in other countries because they are “jumping the queue”.

The Government has been dealing with an influx of asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat, with the 21st vessel this year being intercepted yesterday. The Christmas Island detention centre has been expanded to cope with the increase, but is nearing capacity.

Senator Fielding says while his proposal is “controversial”, people smugglers are exploiting asylum seekers because Australia has become a “soft touch”. He says his idea should be considered to stop the “tidal wave” of boats coming to Australia. “I think Australians would like the idea of the process of saying, ‘If you’re going to try and jump the queue you go to the back of the queue and wait in a refugee camp and wait your turn to come to Australia,” he said.

When asked by reporters if his proposal would contravene Australia’s obligations under the UN Convention on Refugees, Senator Fielding replied: “I think you can still work with the UNHCR on that issue because if they’re fleeing for their lives why wouldn’t they want to be waiting in a refugee camp where they’re safe and sound?”

A spokesman for Senator Fielding says he is not proposing to send asylum seekers back to their home country. Senator Fielding says Australia could negotiate with countries that have refugee camps to send the asylum seekers there.

Dr Graham Thom, refugee coordinator for Amnesty International Australia says the proposal breaches international law. “It is also completely impractical and unrealistic,” he said. “Australia would be trying to return refugees to countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia who are already completely overburdened with refugees.

And Dr Thom says refugee camps are far from safe. “In the camps on the Syria/Iraqi border which I visited in 2008, the conditions were appalling and extremely unsafe In these camps,” he said. “Women had been burnt to death when their tents caught on fire, children had been hit and killed by passing trucks and refugees faced extreme weather conditions with little protection.”

A spokesman for Immigration Minister Chris Evans declined to comment on the idea. After coming to power in 2007, the Rudd Government dismantled the Howard government’s Pacific Solution and abolished temporary protection visas. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has signalled that a Coalition government would “turn the boats back” and bring back a form of a temporary visa.